What does kinsman redeemer mean in the book of Ruth?

Kinsman redeemer was a culture practiced in the Nation of Israel's and other communities. In the event that a man got married and all his sons who would carry the family name died then man in his clan who was next in line would marry into that family.That man would assume the name of the dead man so that the children that he bore would be named after the man who had died. In the book of Ruth,Boaz married into the family of Naomi and became the kinsman redeemer.

In the book of Gen 38 when the elder son of Judah died,then the second born married Tamar so that he could bear children to his elder brother.When he died before he bore any sons then Judah asked Tamar to return to her home until the other younger son was grown and she could marry him.

By John Ndungi